Colombian fugitive wanted in Colombia to finish murder sentence arrested by ERO Newark

NEWARK, NJ — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Newark arrested a Colombian fugitive Dec. 27, 2023, who is wanted by officials in his home country to complete a murder sentence. The subject was sentenced to 22 years in prison in 2011 and failed to return from a three-day furlough in 2018.

“This is clearly a case of an individual with a very dangerous criminal history who poses a threat to the community,” said ERO Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris. “Beyond the committed efforts of our officers, I’d like to thank U.S. Customs and Border Protection of New York/Newark, Office of Field Operations, for their assistance with the investigation that helped lead to the subject’s arrest.”

The Colombian noncitizen unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date at an unknown location without being admitted by a designated immigration official.

ERO Newark arrested the Colombian citizen during a targeted enforcement action that focused on public safety and placed him in ICE custody, where he will remain pending removal proceedings. He was previously arrested by local law enforcement in New Jersey for the offenses of simple assault and making terroristic threats.

ERO Newark received confirmation Jan. 10 that the subject is currently wanted in Colombia to complete his 22-year, 4-month, and 15-day prison sentence.

Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ICE officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.

In fiscal year 2022, ERO arrested 46,396 noncitizens with criminal histories. This group had 198,498 associated charges and convictions, including 21,531 assault offenses; 8,164 sex and sexual assault offenses; 5,554 weapons offenses; 1,501 homicide-related offenses; and 1,114 kidnapping offenses.

As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ERO Newark’s mission to preserve public safety on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ERONewark.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)